Solvent extraction recovery method and apparatus



Jan. 5, 1954 G. N. HARcoURT SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed OCT.. 18, 1945 NNANN HNMKS Jan. 5, 1954 G. N. HARCOURT SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 18, 1945 PlhzHrHlllLllJllHllnunnwndnnM.

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Jan. 5, 1954 G. N. HARcoURT 2,565,198

SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 18, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A5502 wey;

G. N. HARCOURT Jan. 5, 1954 SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS Original Filed OCT.. 18, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 "lidi Jan. 5, 1954 l G. N. HARCOURT 2,665,198

SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 18, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A for/neg' Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFME SOLVENT EXTRACTION RECOVERY METHOD AND APPARATUS Guy N. Harcourt, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Blew-Knox Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Original application October 18, 1943, Serial No. 506,679. Divided and this application August 10, 1949, Serial No. 110,638

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to solvent extraction and particularly to the treatment of solids with a suitable solvent, for the purpose of extracting from the solids a component or principle whose removal from the solids is desirable.

Solvent extraction processes are particularly useful, for example, in connection with the extraction of oils, fats and waxes from vegetable seeds, leaves, roots or tubers, in the extraction of caffeine from coffee beans, and theobromine from cocoa beans, in the extraction of oil from soya beans, and in the extraction of sugar from beets, and in the extraction of tannins or dyes from wood or bark.

An object of this invention is to improve the apparatus used for the solvent extraction ci desired components from solid particles; with which Agreater uniformity in the extent of extraction is obtained; with which maximum possible extraction is obtained; which will have all of the advantages of the continuous extraction system and a minimum of its disadvantages; with which the amount of solvent required for extraction is a minimum, and which will be relatively simple, practical and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved continuous method of solvent extraction, with which a maximum amount of solvent rnay be recovered for use in treating further solids; which will require a minimum oi apparatus; which will produce a highly concentrated and relatively pure extract; which will require a minimum of supervision, and which will be particularly simple, effective and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method ci removing part of the solvent from the residue by a current of hot gas or vapor, such as steam or hot air, for example, to reduce the load on the dryer.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a schematic diagram of the maior part of a system for the continuous solvent extraction treatment of solids in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of part of the extractionv apparatus and of the steamer and drier, also con structed and arranged in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation through one end portion of the housing in which the treatment of the solids with the solvent is carried on, and which may, for convenience, be referred to as having an extraction chamber.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional elevation of the other end portion of the same apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the same, the section .being taken approximately along the line 5 5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the lower part of Fig. 5, with the stirring arms in different operative positions, such as those occupied during the increment of movement of the solids under treatment;

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation through a portion of the apparatusfor driving the stirring arms, the section being taken approximately along the line 'I-l, Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation through a part of the support for the stirrer device;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation through hydraulic operating mechanism for the endless conveyor, by which the solids are moved slowly, by increments of movement, through the extraction chamber, and with the piston in its idle position;

Fig. l0 is a plan of the same, but with the piston in its position at the end of a movement of the conveyor; and

Fig. 1l is a wiring diagram of some controls that may be utilized to regulate and correlate the relative movements of the conveyor and the stirring arms, with which there will be no increments of movement of the conveyor while the stirring arms are in positions in which they may collide with the varies of the conveyor during one of the increments of movement.

Referring nrst particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the illustrated example of apparatus forming the ex traction system will iirst be described. In this embodiment of the invention, the extraction chamber is provided in a housing I having a hopper inlet 2 by which the solids to be treated for solvent extraction, such as beans, seeds or nuts, for example, are fed into one end of the extraction apparatus, the solids passing down-4 wardly through a conduit 3 into the extraction chamber, as will be explained. more fully hereinafter. The solids, after passing through the lower part of the housing i, which part may be called the extraction chamber, are discharged at the opposite end of the housing into a chute fi, Fig. 2, where the solids then pass to the lower end or" an upright steamer 5 which, at its upper end, discharges into a conduit i3 leading to one end-of the upper section. of a two section drier l. .The upper section of the drier, at the end opposite from the connection to the conduit 6, discharges the solids into a conduit 8 which delivers them to the adjacent end of another or lower section 9 of the drier. The solids are discharged from the opposite end of the section 9 into a conduit I which delivers the dried solids to a conveyor seal I I, and the latter discharges the solids through an overflow hopper I 2.

Fresh solvent in liquid iorm may be stored in a tank I3, Fig. l, and conveyed through a pipe I4 controlled by a valve I5 to a work tank I6, where it is mixed with previously used, recovered solvent, and the mixture thereof is then delivered through a pipe I'I under the action of a pump I8 to a pipe I9 leading to a preheater 20, where the solvent is heated, if desired. The heated solvent then passes through a pipe 2I to the solids discharge end of the housing I where the solvent is delivered into the extraction chamber formed in the liquidtight, lower Zone of the housing. The solvent passes through the lower part of this housing in a, direction generally counter to the movement of solids under treatment in that housing, and is then removed from the opposite end of the housing by a pipe 22 which leads to a miscella storage tank 23. The entrance opening into the pipe 22 is protected by a screen, see Fig. 3.

From this storage tank 23, the miscella, which is a mixture of the solvent and the extract or principle carried thereby, is withdrawn through a pipe 24, Fig. l, by a pump 25 and passed through a filter 26 in which any iinely divided solids which may be carried in suspension in the miscella are removed. The solvent with the liquid extract or principle carried thereby is then conducted from this lter by a pipe 21 to a storage tank 29, and this mixture is then withdrawn from that tank through a pipe 29 by a pump 30, which delivers it through a pipe 3I to one end of a preheater 32. The liquid mixture, after passing through this preheater 32, is conducted by a pipe 33 to one chamber 34 of a circulating evaporator 35, in which the mixture is concentrated. This type of evaporator is well known and, in addition to the chamber 34, it also has a separator dome 36 which is connected with the upper part of the chamber 34 by a pipe 31, the separator dome being also connected by a pipe 38 to the lower part of the chamber 34.

In case it is desired to remove the solvent from the extract completely and the solvent free extract is a liquid, the concentrated extract from this evaporator is withdrawn from the lower part of the pipe 38, through the pipe 39 by a pump y,

40 which delivers the concentrated extract through a pipe 4I a constant level tank 42. The concentrated extract overflows from this tank 42 through a pipe 43 which leads to the upper end of a downow stripping column 44, in which the oil flows downward over the inside of a number of tubes in the form of films. These tubes are heated on the outside to furnish the necessary heat to vaporize the residual solvent. The nished extract is withdrawn from the bottom of this column 44 through a pipe 45 which conducts the extract through a cooler 46 and then the cooled extract is conducted by pipe 41 to a concentrate storage tank 48. Steam is supplied to the stripping column 44 through pipe 49 controlled by valve 56 and pipe 49a having valve 50a. and the solvent vapor carried oiT from the concentrated extract with the aid of the directly admitted, ascending steam in the stripping column 44 is conveyed by a pipe 5I to a separator 52 in which any entrained liquid particles are removed and returned to the pipe 43. The vapor is then conducted through a pipe 53 to a condenser 54. Vapors from the separator dome 36 of evaporator 35 may also be conducted by the pipe 55 to the pipe 53, so that the vapors from both the evaporator and separator 52 will pass through the same condenser 54.

rIhe vapors which are condensed in the condenser 54 are then conducted by a pipe 55 to a Water separator tank 56, and in that tank the Water and solvent are separated by stratication into layers. The Water is, of course, discarded and the condensed, solvent vapors are conveyed by a pipe 57 to the solvent work tank I6, where makeup solvent is supplied from the tank I3, as previously explained.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings, a hot gas, such as live steam is admitted to the lower end of steamer housing 5 through a pipe 58, and to the upper end of the same housing by a pipe 59. A suitable elevating conveyor, such as an upstanding rotating screw 5a serves to slowly move the beans from the lower end of the housing to the top. The housing 5, intermediate or its ends, is provided with a perforate wall zone 60 which is surrounded by a closed shell or housing 6I having an outwardly extending passage 62. The steam entering the housing 5 at opposite ends thereof will pass towards the perforate zone 6l! and then through housing 6I into pipe 62. The pipe 62 is connected to an ejector 63 discharging into a condenser 64, and the vapors condensed in the latter are conveyed by pipe 65 to pipe 55 leaving the other condenser 54. The ejector 63 creates a partial vacuum in the housing BI, so that steam admitted to the housing 5 will be drawn through that housing toward the perforate zone 60 and drawn oi through the pipe 62 and delivered to condenser 64.

Steam or air, or both, or other suitable gas may be admitted to the discharge end of the section 9 of the drier through a pipe 68, and passed lengthwise of the section 9 to the entrance end of that section, thence through pipe 8 to the discharge end of the other drier section, where it is removed by a pipe 61 and delivered to the entrance end of the condenser 64. If desired, an ejector or vacuum pump may be included in series in the pipe 61 so as to draw the steam and air or gas through the section 9. Both sections of the drier are heated by steam jackets and the vapors driven off from the solids in the drier as well as the steam passing through the lower section 9, will be delivered to the condenser 64, and the condensed mixture then passed to the separator tank 56 where the water and solvent are separated.

The drier may be of any suitable construction, that shown by way of example being one which is suitable for this purpose, and it includes in each section therein a conveyor by which the solids are moved slowly therethrough and agitated so as to be thoroughly and uniformly heated, and air or steam passed therethrough to the pipe 61. The discharge conveyor II may be one which seals the outlet opening by the solids which are packed tightly therein, so that steam or gas admitted through the pipe 66 will not pass outwardly through the discharge device II to any appreci` able extent. The conveyors in the discharge de` vice II and the section 9 are connected together by a sprocket chain 66, and the conveyors of the two drier sections are similarly connected by a 5 conveyor chain 69 running over sprockets on the ends of the conveyor shafts. The conveyor of the upper section of the drier may be operated slowly through a speed changing device 'l0 driven by a suitable motor 1|.

The extraction chamber, as explained, is enclosed in the housing l, the two end portions thereof being shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower part of this housing is liquid-tight, and at one end thereof (left end in figures), the bottom is curved upwardly as at l2, with its center of curvature at the axis of a shaft 13 that extends transversely across the adjacent end of the housing at a point spaced above the bottom thereof. This shaft 13 carries a, sprocket wheel 'M near each side of the housing, and a similar sprocket wheel l5 is mounted on shaft 'I6 disposed directly above the shaft 'I3 at the same end of and at each side of the housing. The bottom of the housing l, at its -other end, that is, the end opposite from the curved portion '12, is given an upward inclination (Fig. 4), which is connected to the straight bottom part by a short arcuate strip 13 which has its center of curvature at the axis of a shaft 19. The shaft 19 is disposed above the bottom of the housing at the same distance thereabove as the shaft 73, extends across the housing and carries a sprocket wheel 80 adjacent each side of but within the housing.

Above the higher end of the inclined section 11 or bottom of the housing is a shaft 8| which also extends across the interior of the housing and adjacent each side of the housing carries sprocket wheels 82. Two endless chains 83 are disposed in parallel positions within the housing, one at each side thereof, each chain passing over the sprocket wheels 14, l5, Se and 82 at its side of the housing. Rigidly attached to corresponding link portions of the chains 83 are a plurality of perforate plates or drag flights SA, spaced apart suitable uniform distances in a direction lengthwise of the stretches of the chain, and each of these plates 84 extends in a direction normal to the lengths of the chain at the points of attachment of the plate thereto, into close proximity with the sides 1 and bottom of the lower portion or the housing, so as to move in close proximity to the side and bottom walls of the lower zone in this housing. This zone may be also referred to as the extraction chamber.

These plates 84 have very small perforations therein over the major part of their area to enable solvent to pass therethrough from one face to the other, but the perforations are small enough so that the solid particles between the plates will not pass through them. The bottom of the housing is preferably arcuate in transverse section so that the sides and bottom of the lower zone of this housing will be a segment of a circle in transverse cross section, as shown in Figs, 5 and 6. The plates have upstanding ears 85 which are rigidly secured to the links of the chain 83 at each side of the housing, `so that while sai-d plates 35i are moved with the chain, they are held in planes at right angles to the lengths of the links to which they are attached. Thus, when the lower stretches of the chains move along the lower part of the housing, as on tracks B5, the plates B attached thereto will be held rigidly in positions to extend toward the tween the plates in said extraction z ,one or chamber.

These plates will thus receive between them, as

they pass downwardly at the left hand end of the housing, Fig. 3, the solids which are delivered thereto through conduit 3, and the batches or charges received between the vanes or plates will be pushed along the bottom to the inclined end of the housing, thence up the inclined end and over a strainer plate 8l, and then into the chute f3. The bottom wall of the housing below the strainer plate B1 is spaced therefrom slightly so that any solvent carried by the solids along the inclined wall can drain off without being carried into the chute 1i, except for the adherent solvent that is carriedl on or within the solid particles. Disposed below the arcuate bottom of the housing is a heating chamber S8 in which steam coils 39 are disposed in contact with the bottom wall, so that heat can be conveyed to the solids within the compartments formed between the plate-s or vanes @il and the sides and bottom of the extraction zone or ciiamber. Thus, the solids and solvent in the extraction chamber may -be kept warm, which accelerates the solvent extraction operation, and generally increases the solubility of the component extracted in the solvent.

The shaft 8| extends exteriorly of the casing at one side and carries a ratchet wheel 90, Figs. 2, 5, 9 and 10, which is iixed thereon. This wheel Si! is given increments of rotation in a manner which will be explained presently, and this causes increments of movement of the endless conveyor formed by the chains 33 and the vanes 34, so as to gradually move the conveyor in a direction to push the solids under treatment slowly through the extraction zone of said housing. To impart such increments of rotation to the ratchet wheel si?, the shaft 8| mounts rotatably thereon and at each side of the wheel 9G, a pair of bell crank levers 9|. Each of the arms of each of these bell crank levers is pivoted by a pin 92 to a rod 93 depending therefrom and passing through a supporting weight Sie. The other arms of the bell crank levers 9| are connected together by a pin 95 which, intermediate of its ends, mounts a pawl 96 that has a nose 9'! formed to engage with notches or teeth 9S formed in the periphery of the ratchet wheel Bil.

These notches or teeth Q8 are spaced equally about theperiphery of the wheel, and in this particular example, four notches 98 are shown. When the bell crank levers 9| are rocked from the positions shown in Fig. 9 to the positions shown in dash lines in the same figure, which is the position shown in full lines in Fig. 10, the engagement of the ratchet pawl 95- with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 9d will result in a rotation of the wheel 90 through one-quarter of a revolution, and cause a corresponding partial revolution of the shaft 3|. This advances the chain S3 through a selected, distance, at the same time lifting the Weight 94. When the bell cranks 9| are released the weight 96 will return them to the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 9, during which the pawl S5 rides idly over the periphery of the ratchet wheel into a position to engage behind the next tooth SS in succession.

VThe bell cranks 9| may be operated in any suitable manner by any suitable source of power. but in this particular example, a hydraulic operating motor is provided. This motor includes a cylinder 99, Fig. 9, in which a piston |08 is mounted for 'reciprocation Pivotally connected to a wrist pin |ll| of the piston |0ll are rtwo connecting links or rods H32, which through the pinion IUI, are capable of rocking movement relatively to the piston. The other ends of links. |02 are pivoted on the pin 95 which mounts pawl 96. These links |02 pass loosely through an aperture |03 in an end wall of the cylinder 99. The other end. of the cylinder is closed by a plate |04 through which opens a pipe |05 that supplies an operating fluid under pressure to force the piston to the left, Fig. 9. The pipe |05 leads to a three- Way valve |06 which may be operated in any suitable manner, such as by lan electromagnet or solenoid |01, Fig. ll. This valve |06 is connected by a pipe |08 to a source of operating nuid under pressure, which may, for example, be compressed air or any liquid under pressure.

The interior of the valve housing is subdivided by partitions into three compartments |09, I|.0 and I |I (Fig. l1), arranged end to end and cornmunicating with one another by openings in said partitions, These openings have valve seats which `engage with corresponding closure portions ||2 and ||3 of a valve element that is connected to the armature or core I4 for movement by the coil |01. A spring I|5 urges the valve element in a direction to close communication between the pipe |08 and chamber |09, it being understood that the pipe |05 opens into the intermediate chamber |09. An exhaust pipe Ht` is connected to the end chamber I I 0.

The valve element normally closes communication between the compartments or chambers |09 and III but connects the chambers |09 Iand III). This places the pipes |05 and I I6 in communication with one another and vent-s cylinder 99. Valves of this type are well known in the art land are available in the open market, so that further explanation thereof is unnecessary.

When the coil |01 is energized, it raises closure portions |I2 and ||3 and connects pipe |08 to pipe |05 and disconnects pipe |05 from exhaust pipe IIS. This causes the admission of fluid under` pressure to the cylinder 99, 'and the piston is forced to the left in Fig. 9, to cause an advance of the spocket chains and drag flights. When the coil |01 is deenergized, fluid under pressure delivered by pipe |08 is discontinued and the cylinder is vented through pipe IIG, whereupon the weight 94 returns piston to its right hand position in Fig. 9 and returns pawl 96 to a position to engage in the next successive notch 98 in the ratchet wheel 90. Any suitable means for controlling the solenoid I 01 may be employed, but the arrangement shown in Fig. l1 will serve that purpose. In this wiring diagram of Fig. l1, the number of energizations of the coil |01 in a selected period will, of course, depend upon the rate at which the solids are to be advanced through the extraction. chamber, and this rate will vary with the time required for complete extraction. For example, in the case of extraction of caffeine from coffee beans, an extraction period of forty-eight hours may be required, while, for some other materials, a, much shorter period, such as only one hour, might be sufficient for the extraction treatment. Apparatus for the extraction of caffeine from coffee beans requires a rather long extraction chamber. For example, it may be forty-eight feet long, in which case the ratev of movement of the drag nights 84 will be about one foot per hour. Accordingly, the. control should operate in such a manner that the nights move only once an hour overa distance Oi One foot, Where the flights are spaced one foot altari?.v

Extending across,4 from sidev to, side of; the heusing, are. a plurality of channel bars I|a (Figs.

5 8) spaced apart lalong and just above the lower stretches of the chains 83'. Approximately midway across the housing, these channel bars support bearings Illia which in turn rotatably support an agitator element having a plurality of agitator arms ||1. These arms are preferably in the form of shallow scoops and are arranged to extend alternately from diametrically opposite sides from their axis of rotation. These arms or scoops may be perforate, with the size of the perforations small enough to hold back most of the solids, but yet allow the solvent to pass therethrough. In the particular example illustrated, the arms ||1 have tubular bosses IIB, see Fig. 8, which are connected at adjacent ends to one another by short shaft lengths or rods ||9 which pass through the bearings I |6a. Suitable members, such as pins |20, pass through the tubular bosses of the scoops and rods ||9, so as to conneet them together for rotation as a unit. There are, in the illustrated example, two such scoops for the space between each pair of drag nights or Vanes 84, and the scoops may be constructed in pairs with the scoops or arms of each pair extending in opposite directions from the axis of rotation as shown in Fig. 3. These stirrer arms or scoops I I1 rotate slowly so as to laterally displace or stir the solid particles in each batch or quantity between adjacent vanes or drag nights 84, and in the case of coffee beans, this speed of rotation may be, for example, 2 R. P. M. or one revolution in thirty seconds. Obviously, this rate may be varied extensively, depending upon what rate of stirring is desired.

Fastened on this rotating element having the scoops is a sprocket Wheel |2I, Fig. '1, which is driven by a sprocket chain |22 leading to a sprocket wheel on a countershaft |23, Fig. 2, which is driven by a chain |24 from any suitable source of motive power. This countershaft |23 is mounted on the side of the housing in any suitable manner and is rotatably supported in bearings |25. Fixed on the shaft |23 are disks |26 and |21, which have cams or Contact points |28 and |29 (Fig. l1), respectively, there being two cams |28 on the disk |26 and two cams |29 on the disk |21. The cams |29 function to close momentarily a` switch |30, and similarly, the cams |28 will close momentarily a. switch 3| The disks |26 and |21 are drivingly connected to the scoops. |I1 on a one to one ratio, and hence will rotate in timed relation thereto.

A continuously running, constant speed motor |32 (Fig. 11) is connected through a speed reduction gear train |33 to drive a contact disk |34 at a rate of approximately one revolution per hour. The disk |34 is rotatably mounted on a shaft |35, and a second contact disk |33 is fixed on shaft |35 and is driven at a differenty rate, such as one revolution per minute. A speed reduction train R corresponding to the dial train of a watch or clock, that is, a train which connects the hour and minute hands of a watch or clock, is connected between shaft |35 and. disk |34, so that while the disk |34 makes one rotation, the disk |36 will make many more rotations, such as one per minute. The disk |34 carries a cam pin |31 and the disk carries a cam pin |38. The pin |31, in passing a particular position in its rotation, will engage and operate momentarily a switch |39. and the pin |38 in passing a corresponding position will cngage and forcibly close momentarily another switch |40. The two switches I 39 and I 49 are connected in series by a wire |4I.

The other side of the switch |40' is connected by a wire |42 to a line wire L2, and the other side of switch |30 is connected by a wire |43 to one end of a closing coil |44 of a latch-in relay B. Latch-in relays are available in the open market under that name, and when operated, the armature is mechanically latched in operated or closed position, and so held and released by a reset coil. For identiication, such relays are marketed by Struthers Dunn, Inc. #1315 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pa., and shown on page 21E of its catalogue E of October 1940. rlhe other end of the coil its is connected by a wire lilto one end of a reset coil Mt of another latch-in relay C. The other end of coil |45 is connected by wire ist to a line wire L. The relay B is provided with a reset coil |48 which is connected at one end by a wire its to the wire M2, and at its other end by a wire |56 with a contact itil of the relay C. The other contact |52 or" that relay C is connected by a wire |53 to one side of a switch |3i, the other side of that switch being connected by a wire |54 to one end of a reset coil |55 of a latch-ln relay E. The other end of reset coil |55 is conneoted by wire F55 to line wire L.

The relay B has two contacts |5l and |53. Contact |521 is connected to wire |42 and contact lS is connected by a wire |55 to one end of the closing coil li of the relay C. The other end of coil |55 is connected by wire |l5| to one side of a switch i3d, the other side of switch 30 being connected by wire iii?. to one end of a closing coil its of the relay E. The other end of coil |53 is connected to the line wire L. The relay E has a pair of relay contacts |54 and |65. The contact 55 is connected by a wire |55 to one end of the solenoid or electromagnet li'l of the valve litt. The other end of the coil lul is connected hy wire |51 to line wire L. The contact |54 is connected to line wire L2.

The disks ldd and ldd with their ration of rates of revolution and operated at a constant speed by a continuously running motor |32 constitute what may be called, for convenience, a timer for closing switches i355 and |45. These switches and ist are both closed at the same time momentarily once for every revolution of the disk |34, which period may be the desired frequency of increments of movement of the drag nights or vanes in the extraction chamber. The disk its, by reason of its rotation at the more rapid rate will close the switch once for each rotation thereof, but unless the switch i30 is also closed at the same time by the cam |31,

no change in the circuit arrangements will occur. Since the disk 55, is rotating relatively slowly, and only a momentary contact or ccntact of short duration is desired for the circuit, including the switch |39, the circuit will not be closed except for the shorter period while cam |33 closes switch |48 in passing the same at a more rapid rate.

When switches |35 and |40 are both closed at the same time, which will be once ior every hour, for example, a circuit is momentarily established as follows: from line wire L2 through wire |42, switch |40, wire |4l, switch |30, wire |43, energizing coil |il4 of latch-in relay B, wire |45, reset coil of latch-in relay C, and wire |4l to line wire L. This energizes the closing coil of latch-in relay B. The energization of the closing coil |44 of relay B causes completion of a circuit between contacts |51 and |58, but no current can ow through this circuit so established until the disk 21 carries one of its cams |25 past the switch ist and closes it. Since the cams 20 are 180 apart on the disk 52's', and shaft |23 rotates with and at the same rate as the arms i ll', the switch i3d will be closed every half revolution of the scoops. These cams |29 are so arranged on the disk iti that the switch |30 will be closed only when the scoops are entirely at a level above and clear the drag flights or vanes in the lower stretch of the conveyor which runs through the lower part of the extraction housing.

Since the relay B is latched in closed circuit position when energized, the circuit made between the contacts l5? and |55 thereof, upon current through coil hill, will remain closed, and as soon thereafter as either cam |2 on disk i2? closes switch |35, a circuit will be established as follows: from line wire L2 through wire |42, contacts l5? and |58, of relay B, wire |59, closing coil ISD of relay C, wire "5|, switch |30, wire |62, and closing coil |53 of a latch-in relay E to line wire L. When this circuit is closed, the relays C and E. will both be closed or operated and mechanical latches keep these circuits closed. When the relay E closes, it completes a circuit as follows: from line wire L2, contact |64, contact |55, wire |65, valve solenoid coil ll and wire |5l to line wire L. This operates the valve and causes fluid under pressure to be admitted to the hydraulic motor shown in Fig. 9, which causes the piston |00 to move to the left and advance the drag nights or vanes a given increment of movement determined by the extent of movement of the shaft 8|. This movement should be fairly rapid so as to require only a short interval of time, while the rotating stirrers or scoops are above the vanes or drag flights.

The disk |26 is so mounted on the shaft |23 relatively to the disk |21, that the cams |28 thereon will close the switch I3! after the piston vlill) has moved its full stroke, but before the switch |35 is closed a second time by the other cam |29. The switch |3| when closed, completes another circuit, as follows: from line Wire L2 through wire |42, wire |49, reset coil |48 of relay B, wire |50, contacts |5| and |52, wire E53, switch |3|, wire |54, reset coil of relay E and Wire |55 to line wire L. The closing of this circuit energizes the reset coil in relay E, which releases the relay and causes an opening of the circuit between contacts ISE. and |55 thereof. This deenergizes the coil |07 of the electromagnetically operated valve |05, allowing this valve to disconnect pipes |08 and |05, and to reconnect pipe |05 to the exhaust pipe H6. The piston |50 is then returned to its initial position by weight 34 because the operating fluid can escape from hydraulic motor to exhaust pipe H6.

When current passed through the last described circuit, it also energized the reset coil |48 in the relay B, and thus opened this relay from its mechanical latch. This opened the circuit through the closing coil |50 of the relay C and f thus opened the circuit through the switch |3| before that switch could be closed a second time by one of the cams |28. This arrangement prevents an operation of the electromagnet or solenoid of the valve |05 except when disks |34 and |35 close switches |30 and |40 simultaneously, which is the time when the drag flights or vanes of the conveyor are to be operated or moved. If the disks |34 and |36 closed switches |39 and |40 and caused an operation of the relay B, and the disk |26 closed the switch |3| before the disk i2? closed the switch i3d, then the relay B would open again before the flights could move, and an entire period controlled by disks |34 and |36 would pass before another movement of the nights or endless conveyor was possible. To prevent this, the relay G is provided so that when the disks |34 and |36 close the switches |39 and H53, the reset coil Uit of the relay C is energized, which opens the relay C and thus opens the circuit between the contacts l| and |52.

If the switch |3| is closed before switch |30, no current ilows through the contacts |5| and |52 of relay C, and the relay B remains closed until the switch itil closes and the solenoid-operated valve |636 has had an opportunity to operate. As soon as the switch |39 closes, current passes through the closing coil |60 of relay C, thereby closing a circuit through the contacts |5| and |52, making this circuit ready to function when the switch 3| closes. The relay C remains closed for the full period between movements of the drag flights until the disks |34 and |35 again close switches |39 and |450. At every half revolution of the scoop unit, the switch |3| will be closed and current could flow through the circuit controlled by the contacts |5| and |52 of relay C and through the reset coils of the relays B and E if relay C was closed. Since these relays B and E are opened the rst time that the switch iti closes after movement of the nights or vanes, any such flow of current every half revolution is immaterial.

It will be understood that the method of synchronizing the movements of the agitator or scoop shaft and of the endless conveyor which moves the flights or vanes by increments, is only an illustration of one example and obviously' other means for accomplishing the same result may be employed. It will also be understood that suitable safety measures may be employed to prevent damage in the event that the pressure is insumcient to operate the endless conveyor promptly within the time desired, or to stop the operation if the controls should fail, or should the endless conveyor attempt to operate when the scoops or agitator arms are in the path of the vanes or flights. Since such safety devices are separate and divisible inventions, they have not been illustrated or described.

It is believed that the operation of this apparatus will be clear from the foregoing description, but it will be briefly referred to by way of summation. Assuming that the apparatus is used for the extraction of caffeine from coffee as one example of the application of this invention to industry, the raw coffee beans, unground, and either dry or previously soaked in water, are supplied to the hopper 2 and fed therefrom through chute 3 to one end of the extractor housing The beans entering the housing engage upon one of the vanes or nights 84 which is in the vertical stretch at that end of the housing, and then as the conveyor moves along the coffee beans supported thereon, will descend into the lower part of the housing through which the solvent for the extraction is flowing. rThe beans will be pushed along in individual batches or charges by increments of movement, so that the desired elapsed time will occur before the coiee beans complete their travel through the lower part of the housing and are discharged into the chute 4. At the same time, solvent recovered. from the previous treatment of coffee beans will be supplemented with make-up solvent from the tank |3 and this mixture supplied by pump i8 l2 and pipe I9 to a preheater 20, Fig. 2. The heated mixture will be delivered by pipe 2| to the lower part of the housing The solvent liquid then flows through the lower part of the housing to the screen S at the outlet opening with which the pipe 22, Fig. 3, is connected, the position of the outlet pipe 22 deter mining the level of the solvent in the housing This level is indicated, for example, by the broken line X--Y in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the solvent and beans move in opposite directions through the extraction chamber, and that the stirring by the arms or scoops causes local relative displacement of the beans in directions crosswise of the general direction of travel of the solvent through the extraction chamber. The solvent with the extractiva principle carried thereby is delivered into the miscella storage tank, as previously explained, and this extract is then concentrated and stripped of the surplus solvent. The surplus solvent is then condensed and returned to the tank i6 for the treatment of further beans, that is, for recirculation through the housing The beans, after the extraction treatment in the housing and when discharged through the chute pass to the lower end of the steamer 5, where they are carried by a screw or endless conveyor to the top thereof, and there discharged into chute 6. As the beans pass upwardly through the steamer 5, they are compacted by gravity which prevents channeling and at the same time, they are subjected rst to steam admitted through the pipe 58, which steam rises with the beans to the perforate zone 60. Such steam removes most of the excess solvent which may be adhering to the beans and also tends to remove solvent from the interior of the beans by diusion of the solvent to the exterior of the beans.

Similarly, steam entering through the pipe 59 at the top of the steamer passes downwardly through the ascending beans, and this fresh steam which engages the beans about to be discharged into the chute 6, will strip the beans f almost free of solvent and carry it downwardly to the perforate zone 69. The steam coming from opposite ends of the steamer 5 will pass through the perforate zone til into the housing 6|, thence through pipe 52 to an ejector which creates a partial vacuum in the housing 6|. The steam, with the solvent vapors carried oi in this manner, is then conveyed to the condenser 64, Fig. 1, and thence to water separator tank 56, after which the condensed pure solvent is returned to the tank It for use in the treatment of further beans. The beans discharged into the chute 6 from the steamer have very little solvent left therein, but any which is left is largely Within the beans that has not been diffused outwardly during the treatment in the steamer 5. The beans thus pass through the chute or conduit 6 to the upper section of the drier 1, where they pass through a heated chamber.

The conveyors in the drier 'I are rotated by the motor 7| and the beans are gradually moved through the upper section of the drier to the left hand end thereof, then to the lower section 5, thence to the right hand end of that section, then by chute I0 to the discharge sealing device During this travel of the beans in the drier, they are dried, and all vapor, moisture and solvent removed from the beans while in this drier will be conducted to the pipe 61. If desired, a small amount of steam may be admitted to the lower section of the drier so as to remove the last part of the solvent from the beans, and the vapors therefrom pass upwardly through the chute 8 and then out through the vapor removal pipe 6l. It will be understood that various forms of Steamers and driers "l may be employed within the principle and scope of this invention, because the details thereof are not, per se, a part of this invention, and am7 well known examples of apparatus found in the market may be employed in this particular system.

While the stripping column dll may be eliminated, it is useful in many instances where the solvent-free extract is a liquid in an effort to recover as large a percentage as possible of the solvent, and to have as little solvent as possible in the concentrated extract delivered to the storage tank d8. These stripping columns 44, separators 52, constant level tanks i2 and evaporators 35 are well known apparatuses which have been used in the industry for various purposes, and for that reason they have been illustrated only diagrammatically.

The counterflow treatment of the solvent and beans is continuous and slow, and it will be noted that the scoops or arms lll make a plurality of rotations or stirring operations between successive movements of the flights or vanes 811, so that while the progress of the beans through the extraction chamber is relatively slow, there is sufncient agitation or local, lateral, relative displacement of the beans by the arms Il? to break up any tendency of the solvent to channel in its movement through the chamber. ln that way, the flow of the solvent is uniform throughout the entire mass of beans as they travel in individual batches or charges through the extraction chamber or zone. Thus, all of the beans get substantially the same treatment, and the extraction is uniform and as complete as possible. Because of the slow rotation of the arms l l?, the beans will not be thrown from one compartment to another. The solvent will pass from compartment to compartment through the apertures or perforations in lthe drag flights or vanes 84, and the coordination of the movements of arms lll with the movements `of the drag flights or vanes 84 will prevent any collision between the vanes 84 and stirring arms.

In case the solvent is lighter than water, the condensate from the condensers will flow into the water separating tank in the center and the solvent will flow from the top of this tank into the solvent work tank. When the solvent is heavier than water, it will settle to the bottom of the separating tank and will pass therefrom into the solvent work tank. This apparatus may be employed for the solvent extraction treatment of materials that are either heavier or lighter than the solvent. When used with materials that are lighter than the solvent, the agitator arms lll will preferably revolve in directions which will have a tendency to force the material into the liquid, whereas if the materials are heavier than the solvent and collect at the bottom of the extractor, the stirring arms will be designed to lift the material from the bottom and deposit it in the upper part of the solvent stream. In the treatment of coffee, it will be understood, of course, that if desired, the beans may be irst soaked in water by apparatus, not shown, before discharge into the hopper 2, in order to accelerate the entry of the solvent into the unground beans.

While specific reference has been made as a matter of convenience to the treatment of coffee beans for the extraction of caffeine therefrom, it will be understood that this is by way of example only, and that similar apparatus may be employed for the treatment of other solids as previously mentioned herein. The solvent used may vary for different materials or solids to be treated. As a matter of record, various solvents have been used for the extraction of caffeine from coifee, one such solvent being trichlorethylene, but in such case it is undesirable to use a stripper for treating the concentrated extract. The stripper is mainly used where the extractive principle is an oil or similar material. A different type of drier may advantageously be employed for the coffee beans.

If the apparatus is used for extracting tannin extract from woods, such as chestnut, hemlock, oak, spruce, etc., then water is commonly used as a solvent, and no stripper would be used for the extract. The drier would not be needed for the wood chips. The steamer is usually ernployed when the solids or particles to be treated are not greatly crushed or ground because the larger particles usually need extra steaming after extraction in order to get out all of the solvent.' Such apparatus is also very useful for the extraction of oil from soy beans, in which case a suitable solvent could be hexane. When using soy beans, it is not necessary that the beans be passed through the extraction treatment unbroken and, in fact, the beans may be advantageously ground or ilaked first.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

This is a division of prior application Ser. No. 506,679, now Patent No. 2,510,221, dated June 6, 1950.

I claim as my invention:

1. In the continuous method of solvent extrae# tion of a dissolvable component from solid particles in which the particles are subjected to prolonged contact withY a solvent for said component and then separated from such solvent, the improved method of removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises moving the particles, after such separation, upwardly in an upright, conned space, passing live steam through said confined space from opposite ends of said space and toward each other, removing it from said space at a zone intermediate of its ends,y and then cooling the removed steam and solvent vapors to condense the solvent vapors carried off from said particles by said steam. l

2. In the solvent extraction of a dissolvable component from solid particles in which the particles are subjected to prolonged contact with a solvent for said component, and then separated from said solvent, the improved apparatus for removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises an upright tower, means for delivering the separated particles to the lower end of the tower and removing them from the upper end, means within said tower for moving said particles from the lower end to the upper end progressively through said conduit, steam inlets connected to the ends of said tower for passing live steam into both ends of said conduit, means for removing said steam from the tower at an intermediate zone thereof, and means for cooling the removed gas to condense any solvent carried oir from said particles by said gas.

3. In the solvent extraction of a dissolvable component from solid particles in which the particles are subjected to prolonged `conta-ct with a solvent for said component, and then separated from said solvent, the improved apparatus 'for removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises an upright tower having -a particles inlet at its lower end and a discharge port 'at its upper end, said tower having ports for admitting live steam to both ends of the tower, an area of the wall of said tower intermediate of its ends being perforated, a closed housing surrounding said perforated area and having an outlet for the live steam passing along the tower from both ends to said area :and through said perforated wall into said housing, and an elevating conveyor in said tower for elevating said partcles from the bottom to the top past said perforated wall area.

4. In the solvent extraction of a dissolvable component from solid particles .in which the particles are subjected to prolonged contact with a solvent for said component, and then separated from said solvent, the improved apparatus for removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises an upright conduit having a .particles inlet at its lower end and a discharge port at its upper end, said conduit also having, at its ends, ports for admitting live steam to both ends of the conduit, an .area of the wall of said conduit intermedia-te of its ends being perforated, a closed housing surrounding said perforated area and having an outlet for the live steam passing along the conduit from both ends to said area and through said perforated wall into said housing, an elevating conveyor in said conduit for elevating said particles from the bottom to the top past said perforated wall area, and a suction device connected to said housing outlet to draw the live steam from both conduit ends towards said'wall area.

5. In the solvent extraction of a dissolvable component from solid particles in which the par-Y passing along the conduit from bot-h ends to said area and through said perforated wall into said 16 housing, and a screw conveyor in said conduit operable in a direction to elevate particles from the particles inlet to the discharge port.

6. In the solvent extraction of a -d'issolvable component from solid particles in which the particles are subjected to prolonged contact with a solvent for said component, and then separated from said solvent, 'the improved apparatus `for removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises an upright conduit having a particles inlet at its lower end and a discharge port at its upper end, said conduit also having, at its ends, ports for admitting live steam to both ends of the conduit, an area of the wall of said conduit intermediate of its ends being perforated, a closed housing surrounding said perforated area and having an outlet for the steam and solvent vapors passing along the conduit from both ends to said area and through said perforated wall into said housing, -a screw conveyor in said con-duit operable in a direction to elevate particles from the particles inlet to the discharge port, and a suction device connected to said housing outlet to draw the steam from both conduit ends towards said wall area.

'7. In the continuous method of -solvent extraction of a dissolvable ycomponent from solid particles in which the particles are subjected to prolonged contact with a solvent for said component and then separated from such solvent, the improved 'method of removing solvent retained by the particles which comprises moving the particles, after such separation, upwardly along a conned upright passage, conducting steam through said moving mass of particles from both ends of said passage to an intermediate 'portion of the passage and there removing it with solvent vapors from the mass or particles and said passage, and then cooling the removed steam and vapors to condense and recover the solvent that was vaporized and carried off from said particles oy said steam.

GUY N. HARCOURT.

.References Cited in the yfile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,231,154 Chesny Feb. 11, 1941 2,264,390 Levine `et al Dec. 2, 1941 2,387,165 Metzner Oct. 16, 1945 2,426,296 Chesny Aug. 26, 1947 2,447,845 Dinley Aug. 24, 194B 2,547,577 Hamacher et al Apr. 3, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 540,379 France July 10, 1922 253,333 Great Britain June 17, 1926 

7. IN THE CONTINUOUS METHOD OF SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF A DISSOLVABLE COMPONENT FROM SOLID PARTICLES IN WHICH THE PARTICLES ARE SUBJECTED TO PROLONGED CONTACT WITH A SOLVENT FOR SAID COMPONENT AND THEN SEPARATED FROM SUCH SOLVENT RETAINED BY PROVED METHOD OF REMOVING SOLVENT RETAINED BY THE PARTICLES WHICH COMPRISES MOVING THE PARTICLES, AFTER SUCH SEPARATION, UPWARDLY ALONG A CONFINED UPRIGHT PASSAGE, CONDUCTING STEAM THROUGH SAID MOVING MASS OF PARTICLES FROM BOTH ENDS OF SAID PASSAGE TO AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE PASSAGE AND THERE REMOVING IT WAS SOLVENT VAPORS FROM THE MASS OF PARTICLES AND SAID PASSAGE, AND THEN COOLING THE REMOVED STEAM AND VAPORS TO CONDENSE AND RECOVER THE SOLVENT THAT WAS VAPORIZED AND CARRIED OFF FROM SAID PARTICLES BY SAID STEAM. 